Russia minted interesting money in the old days.
Ivan IV was born in 1530. He became the Grand Prince of Moscow 1533 to 1547 with his mother Elena Glinskaya as regent.
In 1534 she created for Russia the first decimal coinage system by making 100 kopecks equal to 1 rouble. A denga was 1/2 kopeck.
The small kopecks were struck using the "wire money" method where silver wire was cut into pieces, flattened, and struck using dies and a hammer.
The obverse has a horseman holding a sword or lance and the reverse has the Russian titles for the Grand Duke and Tsar.
The horseman holding the lance is either the Tsar or St. George without a dragon.
In 1547 when Ivan was seventeen he was crowned as the first Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia and continued the practice of minting wire money.
These coins are really small.
Russian wire money coins shown with United States dime
1. Russia Ivan IV Denga
Silver, 11 mm x 9 mm, 0.32 gm, Struck 1535-1547
Obverse:
A man facing right riding a horse and holding sword.
Reverse:
Grand Duke Ivan
2. Russia Ivan IV Denga
Silver, 11 mm x 10 mm, 0.32 gm, Struck 1535-1547
Obverse:
A man facing right riding a horse and holding sword.
Reverse:
Grand Duke Ivan
3. Russia Ivan IV Denga
Silver, 10 mm x 7 mm, 0.33 gm, Struck 1547-1584
Obverse:
A man facing right riding a horse and holding sword.
Reverse:
Tsar and Grand Duke Ivan
4. Russia Ivan IV Kopek
Silver, 14 mm x 10 mm, 0.58 gm, Mint: Velikiy Novgorod Mint (1547-1584)
Obverse:
A man facing right riding a horse and holding a lance
Mintmark: AL
Reverse:
Tsar and Grand Prince Ivan of all Rus
5. Russia Ivan IV Kopek
Silver, 13 mm x 12 mm, 0.67 gm, Mint: Velikiy Novgorod Mint (1561-1584)
Obverse:
A man facing right riding a horse and holding a lance
Mintmark: K VA
Reverse:
Tsar and Grand Prince Ivan of all Rus
6. Russia Ivan IV Kopek
Silver, 13 mm x 13 mm, 0.68 gm, Mint: Velikiy Novgorod Mint (1561-1584)
Obverse:
A man facing right riding a horse and holding a lance
Mintmark: K VA
Reverse:
Tsar and Grand Prince Ivan of all Rus
The 1944 film "Ivan the Terrible" depicts Ivan's coronation ceremony:
During the ceremony two noblemen pour large bowls of coins onto Ivan.
Posted 01/29/2026 09:27 am
